Arkansas Senate OKs bill keeping hybrid Medicaid expansion

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Senate has approved keeping the state's hybrid Medicaid expansion another year after Republican efforts to repeal and replace the federal health law that created the program failed in Congress.

The state Senate voted 27-1 Tuesday for the budget for the state's Medicaid program that includes the hybrid expansion. The bill that now heads to the state House had failed to get the three-fourths majority vote needed on two separate votes Monday.

More than 300,000 people in Arkansas are on the program, which uses Medicaid funds to purchase private insurance for low-income residents.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson earlier this month said he planned to seek federal approval to move 60,000 people off the program and to impose work requirements.

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